 |
-
Polenta, a dish made from boiled cornmeal, is a traditional staple food throughout much of northern Italy.
The fresh fusion of veggies polenta is a compelling recipe to make. Since the cooking of polenta can take upto 45 minutes, go for this if you are in a mood for trying out a different cuisine and have some time to spare.
Ingredients
- Corn meal – 1 cup
- Water – 3 cups
- Soy milk – ½ cup
- Red onion – 1 (cut into thin slices)
- Garlic – 2 cloves ( grated)
- Green beans – ½ cup (cut into thin strips)
- Bell pepper- 1 (chopped into strips)
- Mushrooms – 15 nos (sliced thinly)
- Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon ( crushed)
- Pepper (ground)
- Salt to taste
Directions to Cook Polenta
1. Place corn meal, water and salt in a deep bottomed pan and whisk well using a whisker. Place the pan over medium heat and keep mixing until the mixture boils.
2. Reduce the heat when the mixture comes to boil. Add ½ cup of soy milk and keep whisking. When you notice big bubble bursts at the center of the polenta, remove pan from heat.
3. Spoon the polenta into a pie plate and set aside for 30 minutes. It could be sliced, once it is cooled.
4. Heat a skillet and toast the polenta pieces, adding few drops of oil on each side. You can cook for 4 minutes on each side for crispy polenta .
Tip:
To diminish any concerns of lumps, you can add the corn meal to cold water, stir then add it to the boiling water and stir constantly.
Directions to cook vegetables.
1. Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic in the pan. Do not stir; let them caramelize for 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful enough not to burn them.
2. Add the green beans and let them cook in the skillet, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the bell peppers and gently toss the green peppers and onions, so that bell peppers are touching the bottom of the pan. Let the bell peppers cook for 4 minutes.
3. Move the veggies to one part of the pan and line the mushrooms in the pan and let them brown. Flip the mushrooms and cook on the other side too. Now gently mix the veggies and stir fry for few more minutes. Add salt and pepper. Sprinkle the crushed fennel seeds and toss the veggies gently.
Serve polenta over vegetable mixture.
Veggies in Creamy sauce
1. Reserve a part of the veggies in the pan and sprinkle a spoon of all purpose flour and stir briskly. Add half cup of soy milk. Stir continuously to avoid lumps and simmer the stove. Once the sauce is thickened check for salt and pepper and add if, necessary.
The flavor of fennel seeds is mild, yet it adds richness to the meal. You could flavor up the polenta by adding dry herbs and spices. This yummy dish goes to Vaishali’s Italian Vegan event.
-
Brown rice is rich in fiber and selenium. It lowers our cholesterol too. Brown rice has a chewy texture and blends well with veggies and beans. In this recipe, I have used black beans with carrots and green beans for their vibrant colors. The pilaf not only looks good but tastes awesome too.
Ingredients
- Brown rice – 1 ½ cups (wash and soak the rice for 2 hours. Drain it and add 2 ¼ cups of water and cook. The ratio of rice to water is 1:1 ½)
- Onion – 1 finely chopped
- Garlic – 3 cloves (minced)
- Ginger – 1 teaspoon (minced)
- Carrots – 2 (chopped)
- Green beans – ½ cup (chopped)
- Black beans – 1 can (rinsed thoroughly)
- Dried oregano- 1 tsp.
- Chili flakes – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Cook the rice and set it aside.
2. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add onions, chilli flakes, ginger and garlic and cook until the raw smell goes away. Add carrots and sauté for 5 more minutes until they are tender. Stir in green beans and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. Add rinsed black beans and sauté for few more minutes. Stir in the oregano and salt. Add the cooked rice and toss it well until the veggies and beans are well blended with the rice.
4. Switch off the stove. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
Tofu Fry
This tofu fry goes well with any kind of rice and noodles. It could be flavored with asian spices as needed, Tofu fry makes a wonderful accompaniment for the rice.
Ingredients
- Firm tofu – 1
- Corn meal – 3 tablespoons
- Tamari sauce – ¼ cup
- Garlic cloves – 4
- Spring onions – 1 bunch
- Red chili- 3
- Corn starch – 1 tablespoon
- Soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Slice tofu in horizontal pieces.
2. Blend corn meal , tamarind sauce and garlic cloves in a blender. Marinate sliced tofu in mixture for about 15 minutes on a side. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degreesF for 5 minutes per side. Set aside.
Getting the sauce ready
1. Chop the onions. Heat a skillet and add a teaspoon of oil. Sizzle the red chilly and onions and fry them till they are cooked. Add salt.
2. Stir in the soy sauce and add the corn starch mixture. Once the sauce thickens, add the tofu slices and toss well.
Yummm…this tofu in the spicy gravy was a perfect accompaniment for the rice.
With tofu and black beans, this meal is protein rich and a nutritional treat!
-
Ever dreamt of having a guiltless cup cake? Well, then here is the recipe. This cake was very much enjoyed by my son and his friends.
INGREDIENTS
- All purpose flour- 1 cup
- Cocoa powder/carob powder- ½ cup
- Soy milk – 1 cup (curdle with a teaspoon of lemon juice)
- Brown sugar- ¾ cup
- Baking soda- ¾ teaspoon
- Baking powder – ½ tsp
- Apple sauce – ¼ cup
- Canola oil – ¼ cup.
- Margarine – 2 tablespoons
- Salt a pinch.
DIRECTIONS
1. Sift all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2. In another bowl cream margarine and brown sugar. Add canola oil and stir in curdled soymilk and apple sauce.
3. Now add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture little at a time and mix well. Now blend all the ingredients well.
4. Line the muffin pan with cupcake holders. Pour the batter into each cup cake holder ¾ full, giving them space to rise.
5. Bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes. Insert a skewer to the center of the cup cake to check if the cake comes out clean.
6. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
-
My son’s friends were visiting him. During the summer, they play basket ball and hang out in the garden. But, now it is midwinter and they had no other option than to stay inside the house  . I wanted to make snacks that would entice them and decided to make warm burgers and chocolate cup cakes. Here is the recipe for veggie burgers with split green peas and lentils.
Ingredients
- Split green peas- ½ cup (Soaked overnight)
- Lentils – ¼ cup (soaked overnight)
- Potato- 1(chopped)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Bell pepper – 1(chopped finely)
- Bread crumbs – ½ cup
- Lemon pepper – 1 tsp
- Ground pepper – 1 tsp
- Corn starch – 2 tablespoons (made into thin paste by adding ¼ cup of water)
- Garlic croutons – ½ cup (powdered in a blender)
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil to fry
Directions
1. Cook the lentils and peas along with the chopped potatoes. Cook them till soft but not mushy. Drain the water and mash it in a blender. (Do not worry if the peas and lentil mixture look sticky.)
2. Heat some oil in a skillet and add the onions. When the onion become translucent, add chopped bell peppers and cumin powder. Sauté for 4 minutes. Switch off the stove.
3. Add the onions to the peas and lentil mixture. Stir in ½ cup of bread crumbs, lemon pepper, pepper and salt. Mix well. Now the batter of the patty will not be sticky. Place it in a bowl, cover it and set it in a fridge for an hour.
(Now you will find the pattie mix to be little tightened up)
4. Roll the patties of the size you want, flatten it a little bit and dip it in the corn starch paste and roll it on the crouton crumbs.
5. Heat the skillet and cook the patties by adding 1 spoon of oil on both the sides. Let them cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the Pattie to the other side and cook it until golden brown.
One advantage about the pattie is, you can make them in advance and store them in the fridge. Fresh burgers can be made by cooking it on the skillet. The garlic croutons provide a good crunch to the burgers by making it extra crunchy and tasty. The lemon pepper provides a subtle tanginess. If you don’t have lemon pepper, add ½ spoon of lemon juice. I am sending this to Susan’s My legume affair :8 th helping.
-
Do you want to eat tasty food and still lose weight? Try this veggie wrap. It’s simple and easy to cook and is packed with the nutrients of veggies and nuanced flavors. This veggie wrap has very little fat and no preservatives, making it a healthier choice.
Ingredients
- Bell pepper – 1 (medium sized) cut into thin strips (Use red and green bell peppers to make the wrap colorful.)
- Onion – 1 (cut into thin strips)
- Zucchini -1 (cut into strips)
- Mushrooms – ¼ pound (sliced thinly)
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Chili flakes- 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon
- Whole wheat tortillas/ whole wheat roti/ chappathi/ – 4
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 450° F. spread bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms in a pan.
2. In a small bowl, add 1 tsp of olive oil and mix with ½ tsp of cumin powder, chili flakes and salt.
3. Now toss the veggies with the olive oil mixture and bake in the oven uncovered at 450° for 15 minutes.
4. Cool slightly.
GARLIC MAYONNAISE
1. Garlic bulb- 1 ( cut the bulb into half, without separating the cloves)
2. Wrap in a tin foil with head open and drizzle some olive oil.
3. Bake it along with the veggies at 450° .Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool.
4. Squeeze out the garlic flesh and blend it in a blender with ½ cup of soft tofu, a spoon of vinegar and parsley leaves.
Getting your Veggie Wraps Ready
1. Heat tortillas in an ungreased skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds, turning once.
2. Spread a teaspoon of garlic mayonnaise, down the center of the tortilla. Top it with vegetable mixture and fold one end of the tortilla over the filling. Bring the other end and fasten it with the tooth pick.
This veggie wrap will go well as a kids lunch box food. Involving your kids to prepare the wrap (spreading the garlic mayo on the tortillas, rolling the wrap, fasten the wrap) will make your kids feel ownership for this food, and will make them want to eat this.
Variations:
You can make this veggie wrap with different combinations of veggies and the spread. Try hummus or soy been paste instead of garlic mayo. For vegetables, you can try fresh veggies such as cucumber, olive or stir fried veggies.
Also, you can wrap the veggies in multipl styles to interest the kids. Try to fold down the open end of the wrap to make “veggie packets”, or spread the veggies thin on the tortilla and roll it packed to make “veggie spirals”.
Enjoy!!
-
Who does not like strawberry and chocolate for breakfast? I know I am not the only one who long for this kind of sweet treat. This strawberry sandwich combines the fresh fruits, tofu and chocolates and makes its a nutritious treat!
I was reminded of this healthy treat recently in Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger . Here is the yummy and healthy sandwich, for you.
Ingredients
- Whole grain bread – 4 slices
- Strawberry – 20 (sliced thinly)
- Carob chips – ½ cup
- Soft tofu – 2 tablespoons (pureed with 1 tablespoon of soymilk)
- Margarine spread – 2 teaspoons
Directions
1. Heat a skillet. While it gets hot, spread some pureed tofu on one side of the bread. Arrange the sliced strawberries so that it is tightly packed.
2. Now stack the carob chips or chocolate chips above it. Cover the strawberries and chocolate chips by placing bread above it and toast it on the skillet with margarine.
3. Toast till the bread is browned and the chocolate chips melt. Remove from skillet and serve.
The sandwich tastes yummy with the fresh burst of fruits and the right combination of chocolate/ carob. The tofu helps to hold the strawberries and hardly will you taste the tofu in the sandwich. It is a perfect quick fix sandwich.
-
Feel like making a savory cake that would go with tea? Here is the vegan version of delicious savory cake. This cake comes under the quick breads version, and since it doesn’t have sugar, is well suited sugar-less meal plans.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour – 1 cup
- Baking powder- 1 tablespooon
- Corn starch powder- 2 tablespoons mixed in 3 tablespoons of water.( in replacement for 1 egg)
- Onion – 1 (medium sized- chopped finely)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease bread pan and set aside.
- Mix all purpose flour, cornmeal and baking powder.
- In a bowl add milk, oil and corn starch mixed with water. Add olives, onion, pepper and salt. Now mix this wet mixture in to the flour and fold gently.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 50 to 60 mts in the middle rack until it is golden brown. Let it cool completely before slicing.
Note: Be careful in adding the salt as the preserved olives have salt in them.
Variation
Adding 1/2 cup of nuts such as pistachio and almonds to the batter will give this cake a crunchy surprise and add some protein content.
Adding 1/4 cup of dried fruits such as raisins will add some fiber and minerals to your savory cake.
-
It so happens that you want to cook a good dinner but don’t want to spend too much time. Frozen veggies are life savers in times like these. We are great lovers of pasta and my son loves his pasta with little heat in it. Here is a version of pata with two types of pasta shells (to add some variety and excitement for kids) and stir fry veggies.
Ingredients
- Pasta- 4 cups ( Use two different varieties if you want. Cook according to the pack instructions).
- Mint leaves- ½ cup ( washed )
- Biryani masala powder or curry powder– ¼ tsp.(optional)
- Italian seasoning – 1 tsp.
Directions
- Set a deep bottomed pan and add olive oil. Add the garlic once the oil is hot. Take care not to burn them. Stir in the red chilies and onions and fry till they are cooked.
- Add the mint leaves and fry till the leaves wilt. Stir in the thawed veggies and fry for a couple of minutes (.if using biryani masala add it now) Add salt.
- Ladle the cooked pasta from the boiling water so that the pasta is not dry and has soft, yet firm texture.
- Add the pasta, toss with the vegetables and sprinkle the Italian seasoning.
Your taste buds will encounter the flavor twist from mint leaves and biryani masala. If you don’t care for biryani flavor, just don’t use it and yet you will have a tasty dish.
-
Baking cakes excites me every time. It’s not only the aroma of the cake that wafts in the kitchen , but also a fulfillment that comes in baking a vegan cake. This easy to make cake is sure to impress you with the look and its texture.
Ingredients
- Margarine –3/4 cup.
- Ener-G Powder – 3 tablespoons (mixed with 4 tablespoons of warm water).
- All purpose flour -2 &1/3 cups.
- Baking powder – 1 ½ tsps.
- Baking soda – ½ tsp.
- Sugar – 1 ½ cups.
- Vanilla essence- 2 tsp.
- Butter milk-1 ¼ cups (I curdled 1 ¼ cups of warm soymilk by adding ½ tsp of lemon juice and set aside for minutes)
- Chocolate flavored syrup – 2/3 cups.
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring margarine to room temperature and beat in an electric mixer for 30 secs. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add the ener-G powder mixed in warm water and beat in low speed.
3. Add the curdled soymilk and beat for a minute more in low speed.
4. In a large bowl mix, mix all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the wet mixture into the flour and mix well until ingredients are well blended.
5. Reserve 2 cups of cake batter in a bowl.
6. Pour remaining batter into the greased pan (use fluted tube pan if you have it, or use a regular baking pan.)
7. Add 2/3 cup of chocolate syrup to the reserved cake batter and beat on low speed until well combined.
8. Pour chocolate batter over the vanilla batter in the pan and let it settle by itself. Do not mix.
9. Bake in 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until the center comes out clean.
The combination of chocolate and vanilla in a single piece of cake is very tasty and welcoming. I am sending this recipe to egg replacement event by Madhuram of eggless cooking. Check out another version of vanilla chocolate marble cake.
-
Who doesn’t like the aroma and flavor of baked apple and cinnamon in streusel?
I have the vegan version of this for you, and loaded it up with fiber. So you can enjoy this hearty bread without guilt!
Ingredients
Streusel topping
- Margarine – 2 tablespoons
- Brown sugar- 2 tablespoons
- All purpose flour- ¼ cup
Bread
- All purpose flour-2/3 cup
- Whole wheat flour- 1 and 1/3 cup
- Margarine – 1 stick (softened)
- Sour soy milk – 2 tablespoons ( I warmed up 2 tablespoons of soy milk and added ½ tsp of lemon juice and set the milk aside to curdle up).
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Baking soda- 1tsp.
- Golden delicious apples – 2 (peeled and chopped finely).
- Walnuts- ¼ cup (roasted)
- Flax seed – 2 tablespoons (I simmered it in 6 tablespoons of water in replacement for 2 eggs).
- Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp.
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2. In a bowl mix together the streusel topping.
3. In a large bowl cream the margarine and sugar. Mix in the flax seeds. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour along with the baking soda and cinnamon powder. Add the sour milk to the batter and stir until combined. Add the margarine, sugar mixture and flaxseed in to the flour and mix gently.
5. Stir in the apples and the walnuts and gently fold into the batter.
6. Spoon the batter in to the pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping and bake it for 50 to 60 minutes.
7. Insert a skewer to check if the cake comes out clean.
8. Allow the bread to cool and remove from the pan.
Variation:
You can use different types of apples – empire, mcintosh, rome, depending on the tart flavor your want. Remember to use apples that have firm texture. Another classic substitution is using blueberries instead of apples.
| Copyright (c) 2009 VeganOrbit LLC. All Rights Reserved. |
| | |
